blanks

[omark]

when starting from a stock blank, what would be the minimum thickness for a long rifle or pistol? the reason i ask is that last week i was in a wood store in denver and saw a nice piece of quilted maple big enough for at least 2 pistols with plenty left over for horn plugs, knife scales, even grips for my 51 navy or (bite my tongue) single six's.    thanks          mark

[jamesthomas]

 It depends on the breech size of the rifle, more than 2 1/2 inches for sure, it needs to be around 2 5/8ths to 2 3/4 quarters. Why? Because I have a stock blank that's 2 1/2 inches thick and both Dave Keck and Pecatonica said they couldn't use my barrel that had a 1.062  breech, they said 2 1/2 inches was too thin and I wouldn't have enough wood to have a cheek piece. If your barrel has "A" profile with a .950 or less breech you might be able go down to 2 1/2 inches.

[kaintuck]

what james said....small thin wood sometimes can be used for a southern mtn rifle...if a small barrel is used.....I like to start with a 2-3/4 or thicker blank, allows for offset, cheek piece etc....but I don't do many from blanks anymore~
getting lazy!
marc

[omark]

thanks guys, appreciate it.    mark

[Jim Kibler]

2.5 inches is plenty for just about any longrifle.  In fact even 2.25" will work for most projects, even with but plates in the range of 2 inches.

[rich pierce]

If you have skilz!

[Dennis Glazener]

2.5 inches is plenty for just about any longrifle.  In fact even 2.25" will work for most projects, even with but plates in the range of 2 inches.

I have built several of my Gillespie NC mountain rifles out of some 1 15/16" maple I had. I put about a 1/4" of cast-off in the stock, just a matter of placing the barrel in the right spot.

I had Fred Miller duplicate a Lancaster Drepard pattern that he had, using a piece of my 1 15/16" thick cherry. Where the patch box cavity went there was a small flat spot and I had to add about a 1/8" of wood to the bottom edge of the cheek rest but by the time I cut an incised line on the bottom of the cheek piece you could not see it. That stock had at least 1/4" of cast off.
Dennis
   

[Rolf]

2" thick works fine for the pistols I've made.

Best regards

Rolf

[omark]

If you have skilz!

skilz??  i cant even spell skilz.       mark

[mountainman70]

I have built several of my Gillespie NC mountain rifles out of some 1 15/16" maple I had. I put about a 1/4" of cast-off in the stock, just a matter of placing the barrel in the right spot.

Dennis,you has skilz!!!Dave

[T*O*F]

when starting from a stock blank, what would be the minimum thickness for a long rifle or pistol?

The formula for minimum thickness is:
width of barrel across the flats plus bolster thickness of lock X 2

Obviously minimum thickness is determined by components used.

[Jim Kibler]

when starting from a stock blank, what would be the minimum thickness for a long rifle or pistol?

The formula for minimum thickness is:
width of barrel across the flats plus bolster thickness of lock X 2

Obviously minimum thickness is determined by components used.

May work for some pistols, but not applicable to long guns with a cheek piece.

[JoeG]

I really enjoy this thread

I have a great piece of curly cherry that it itching to be a .40 cal.  SMG
it is 2 inches wide and I'm looking at using a A weight Rice barrel  .937 at the breech
 
 Do I need to  place the barrel channel left of center to allow room for cast off  and a cheek piece?

[Randall Steffy]

Based on my experience, your barrel channel as viewed from the butt end and above, when laid out on your plank, will run diagonal, muzzle to the right and breech toward the left and butt plate back to the extreme right for cast off. Now your cheek piece will allow a nice taper, wider at the rear and tapering narrower toward the wrist. This layout achieves as much cheek piece extension as possible with a thinner plank and cast off. At least this is my approach.

[galamb]

when starting from a stock blank, what would be the minimum thickness for a long rifle or pistol?

The formula for minimum thickness is:
width of barrel across the flats plus bolster thickness of lock X 2

Obviously minimum thickness is determined by components used.

May work for some pistols, but not applicable to long guns with a cheek piece.

That depends.

I'm working with a 2" thick blank currently. Barrel is 15/16" at the breech (tapers to 3/4" at the waist and then back to 13/16" at the muzzle).

Widest width of the butt plate is 1 1/2. I have 3/16" of cast off.

With the barrel inlet a little closer to the cheek side there is a ton of wood on the lock side, and with the cast off there is more than enough for a healthy cheek piece for the style of rifle I'm building.

(with a 1/4" bolster - 4/16" + 15/16" of barrel + 4/16" side plate panel = 23/16 or 1 7/16 - not even an inch and a half - 2" thickness is still quite a bit of "leftover" wood at the panels)

At the cost per board foot of curly Maple I plan it so the "minimum" hits the floor as sawdust or shavings.